"Heart of God"by Bishop William S. Skylstad (From the Oct. 25, 2001 edition of the Inland Register)
The tragedies of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in rural Pennsylvania have provided the world community a powerful opportunity for reflection. In a period of about an hour, we watched the events unfold as over 5,000 people died in front of our eyes. In the latest count less that 10 percent of the bodies have been identified. Never has the phrase from Ash Wednesday’s liturgy been so poignant and graphic: “You are dust, and into dust you shall return.” The response has been prayerful and increasingly respectful as we realize that everyone has been touched by this tragic moment in history. We all hope that this is a new beginning for the global family. Given the events of these past few weeks we can appreciate God’s word and our tradition. Sacred Scripture begins with the creation of the world, and a pinnacle of that creation is the human being. The story shares with us the sacredness of the human person. As salvation history continues to unfold, Jesus comes into the world as Savior and gives us the vision of the kingdom of God. The kingdom is not a place, but a power — a transforming power. Everything Jesus touched he transformed: the sick, the lame, the blind. The tradition of the Church also picks up on this theme in her social teaching. Every person in this world is precious. In addition, as members of the Church, we are called to be stewards, to care for the universe. God’s creation should enhance every human being. Our stewardship calls us to protect every person, to establish the right order of relationships in humanity. We call that noble work justice. That’s why the Church is so adamant about the protection of human life from the moment of conception to natural death. We must keep in mind our calling, our responsibility, especially during those times when humanity is disfigured. The Church is called to be a transformer of culture and society, just as Jesus came to transform the world. In his encyclical The Gospel of Life, Pope John Paul II challenges us to build up the culture of life in our world. More than ever, this vision confronts us as the Holy Father asks us to respect and uphold the dignity and sacredness of the human person. On the other hand, we must continue to name that which literally and figuratively disfigures the human person: abortion; genocide; grinding poverty, lack of generosity of resources; callousness of the human heart. That’s why we constantly need to remind ourselves of the heart of God. In her more recent development of teaching, the Catholic Church helps us to see connectedness of our lives, to address the separation in the human heart can become a wedge between others and ourselves. The life of Jesus demonstrates the love of God for humanity. As we celebrate Eucharist, Our Lord’s passion and death remind us again and again how powerful that sign is. Jesus reminded us of the presence of the cross — the cross which is very much a part of our own daily lives. We should neither avoid it nor should we ever forget its power to transform and call us to a deeper appreciation of God’s great love. Sept. 11 was a day of the cross for our nation and our world. In the sacrament of confirmation we have been sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. The symbol of fire on the first Pentecost should be a strong sign for us in the Church today — fire in the heart for justice, reverence, and a vision of what our world can become if we but just allow that power of the Holy Spirit to transform us, to give us fire in the heart and wisdom of the mind as we discern God’s call. We do wonderful things with our physical hearts these days. The skill of health care providers assists us tremendously. But what about our spiritual hearts? What about the heart of humanity? Together we need to appreciate that every human life has its origin in the heart of God. The heart of God will lead us to a culture of life. That’s the call of Jesus. That’s the mind of the Church. That’s our task. Let us get on with it, then. Only the power of God can help the world become more whole and more truly human, as the Creator wants us to be. I hope all of us can find that vision energizing and humbling. The heart of God is with us.
Bishop Skylstad’s Schedule
Oct. 25: Secretariat meeting
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In the United States, October has traditionally been Respect Life
Month and the month of the rosary. Both themes couldn’t come at a
more appropriate time, considering the events of Sept. 11. The theme
of Respect Life Month this year is “Heart of God.” There is
something wonderfully endearing about this phrase that speaks of
love, compassion, and salvation.